


Perkatory

by sharkplant



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shop, Alternate Universe - College/University, Baked Goods, M/M, from what i understand neither do many americans, i'm australian and have no clue how the american college system works, just a bunch of 21 year old's who don't know how to other people
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-03
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2017-12-04 06:12:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/707432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sharkplant/pseuds/sharkplant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel doesn't have much of a life; he goes to classes, works at the campus coffeeshop (where he meets and prepares coffee for one Dean Winchester, who he doesn't have a crush on except he totally does) and that's about it. One night he gets drunk (because Balthazar made him) and can't work the next day. Enter Benny Lafitte, the slightly blood obsessed med student. Castiel doesn't mind Benny. What he does mind is how friendly he is with Dean.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based off [this post](http://woosome.tumblr.com/post/37366311512/a-college-coffee-shop-au-where-cas-works) on tumblr
> 
> Un-beta'd as always. Comments and kudos are always appreciated
> 
> x
> 
> EDIT [6/28/16]: i promise i never forgot about this. have a finished fic <3

If Castiel had to re-write the riddle of the sphinx, it would read thus;

What has a latte in the morning, an Americano in the afternoon, an espresso in the evening and a triple redeye at night?

The answer is one Dean Winchester, currently attending KU and more currently, as the time is so late it's early, ordering his preferred caffeinated poison of the night sort, wallet already half out of his back pocket.

Castiel is almost waiting for the day Dean's adrenals finally kick the bucket.

'Paper due tomorrow?' Castiel asks, taking Dean's money. Which reminds Castiel he had better close up soon or at the very least sit down with some strong java himself and get a start on his theology essay due Wednesday.

Dean offers a lightly stressed look. ‘3 and a half thousand words,' he grimaces.

Castiel offers his own look as he starts making the three shots of espresso; the look of a tad disappointed mother saying 'I told you so'. 'When was it set?' The grinder grinds noisily.

Dean looks mock sheepish and flattens out his mouth so the tendons in his neck stand out. Castiel would very much like to lick them but that would be awkward both on a social and physical level. (He's tried climbing over the counter a few times, never ended well.)

'Last Tuesday?' Dean says in a small voice but his usual grin crackles through.

Castiel hands over the paper cup after squishing on the lid. He knows he should put it in a cup on a saucer or something because Dean is drinking in tonight (his million year old laptop is set up between a couple of large, open books in a table right smack bang in the middle of the empty space. Well, empty of people in any case; Dean is the only one who stays this late) but Castiel is used to making it in a cup for Dean and Dean never says anything so why change?

Dean takes the cup. 'Cheers, Cas.' He raises the cup and turns back to his laptop and books, his mind has probably forgotten Castiel already being more worried about his paper and all. Castiel understand it.

Doesn’t mean he has to like it.

…

Castiel first met Dean through his (Dean's) younger brother about six months ago. Which was surprising. Not the six months bit or that Dean had a brother, more the fact that said brother was really big. But Sam's saving grace was his sweet face and his brain the size of a planet.

Sam came to Perkatory (KU's resident coffee house since Castiel isn't sure) nearly everyday and ordered, much like the elder Winchester now, a triple redeye, although he wasn't fussy about the time of day.

Of course this was a time when Gabriel was out at the counter and Castiel was washing dishes and making cake. Anna helped him sometimes but she was often more interested in flirting with customers. Gabriel had left with a shiny PhD in business and a promise to come and check on his little bro when he wasn't being a big shot candy store owner.

Anyways, Castiel met Dean when Dean was practically dragged kicking and screaming through Perkatory's glassed doors at a time when Gabriel had run off to do a supply run or some random ass kind of tea was out.

'Sammy, are you trying to turn me into a hipster?' were the first words Castiel heard him say, albeit somewhat grumpily and hushed, 'Because that's what this looks like.'

'What? No. I just want you to stop being such a moody jerk and get some work done.'

'I do get work done.'

'Yeah, after you've drunk all me and Jess' coffee. You need to learn to fend for yourself.'

'So what? You're helping me find a new caffeine conduit? Come on, I pitched for that coffee machine.'

'Dean, you broke the last one.'

'Sammy-'

'Sam. My name is Sam. Sammy was a chubby 4th grader.'

Dean smiled one sidedly. 'Yeah, well I kinda miss 'im. He didn't argue, he just complained about his math homework.'

At this point they were at the front of the (very short) line.

'Hi, what where you after?' Castiel asked and the brothers Winchester turned to look at him.

'Hey Cas,' Sam smiled, 'This is my brother Dean. Dean, this is Cas.'

'Castiel,' the barista corrected.

'Sorry. Castiel,' Sam amended. 'He was in my creative writing class last semester.'

Dean's eyes shined a little with recognition. 'Yeah, you're in my philosophy class, right?'

Castiel nodded. 'Indeed. What were you after?'

'Americano and a tripple red eye.'

Castiel nodded. 'Black coffee and black coffee with three extra shots of strong black coffee coming up.'

Since, Dean came in a lot.

And Castiel developed a little crush.

That turned into a big one one morning when Dean decided to wink at him when he spun out the door, latte in hand to get to his class.

And then into an even bigger one when he started staying the night. Literally; rolling in at 10:00 and leaving at 8:00.

Turned out he only did this on the nights Castiel was on graveyard shift.

He tried not reading into it.

…

Of course Castiel wasn't the only one who worked at Perkatory, there was Anna and there was Balthazar.

When Castiel had classes, one of them filled in and vice versa.

They made it work.

The three of them lived in the same dorm and Castiel had reasons for taking most of the night shifts.

Well, one reason.

Anna and Balthazar almost always had someone or usually several someones over at least once a week, either a Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

Sometimes he was unlucky enough that someone was brought in on another night and that was when Castiel ran away to the library or to Perkatory and spent an hour or two contemplating how Anna or Balthazar had the time to study.

T'was a curious business. But not curious enough that Castiel ever asked.

That would be weird and that would be something they would do.

He just vaguely wondered and left it at that. He studied, he made coffee in various forms, he attended classes and he slept. Alone.

Castiel didn't like sleeping alone because it was cold and he was certain that there had to be some merit to sharing a bed in the most innocent context, maybe a little spooning, but he really needed to get work done and work and

It was a little unfair his life was just study or the shop. He needed to have a little more fun, he realised with a start one Tuesday evening, Anna had pulled and Balthazar had offered to take Castiel to a bar but Cas just said he had a paper, grabbed his satchel and left for the library. He should have gone with Balthazar.

He pulled out his phone and texted him.

From: You [10:38 pm] - _Where are you?_

From: Balthazar [10:39pm] - _y_ _r u asking Cassy dear? planning on joining?_

From: You [10:39 pm] - _Perhaps._

From: Balthazar [10:40pm] - @ luci’s _._ d _on_ t make me wait ;)

…

He walked to the bar like Castiel walked everywhere.

It was noisy for a Tuesday night but it was Lucifer's (most popular bar in town) and was full of college kids trying to forget their own names.

Generally, Castiel didn't like bars but he was trying to live and this living for most people right? Why couldn't it be the same for him?

Balthazar was still blazered when he got there, an indication that he wasn't totally sloshed when he beckoned Castiel over with a leer and a second champagne glass.

'Now, Cas, you must now I am slightly concerned over why you are here.'

'Why?'

'Because, dearest Castiel, I've never seen you drink more than to be sociable,' Balthazar pointed out.

Castiel shrugged, trying for casual and nonchalant. 'I want to change.' He sipped at the champagne Balthazar had bought. He wasn't a particular fan of the drink but who was he to refuse free alcohol.

His friend nodded a few times and took a swig of his own glass, a mischievous something pulling at his features. 'Is getting laid included in the new and improved Castiel Novak?'

Castiel looked around and shrugged again. 'Maybe. I guess. I just- Who would want me?'

Balthazar raises his eyebrows. 'Have you never looked in a reflective surface?’ He looked his roommate up and down. ‘Cas, you are quite the specimen.'

Castiel ignored him.

'Don't believe me?' Balthazar took Cas’ silence as assent. 'Right, well, that attractive, in the scruffy sense of the word, young man at the bar has been looking at you ever since you wondered in so I suggest that you,' Balthazar paused, slugging down the rest of his glass and then grabbing at Castiel's before draining that too and holding them out, 'take these away and get more.'

Castiel rolled his eyes but when Balthazar didn't stop offering them, he took them with a sigh.

He ordered beer, because for one, Castiel was still reasonably boring and two, it would spite Balthazar. The Brit hated beer for all it was worth but Castiel knew he would end up drinking it regardless; it was alcohol and he didn’t have to pay for it.

The guy didn’t open his mouth until the barman was just starting to walk away. ‘On me,’ he called after and Castiel turned to look at him.

His eyes were behind glasses and they looked friendly. He smiled a little awkwardly and Castiel smiled awkwardly back.

‘Thank you,’ Castiel said.

‘No problem.’ The guy extended a hand, ‘My name’s Chuck.’

‘Castiel,’ He said, shaking it.

Chuck’s forehead crinkled as his eyes narrowed. ‘You run the coffee shop don’t you?’

Castiel shrugged. ‘I work there.’

‘A friend of mine really likes you…I mean _it_. The coffee shop. What’s it called? Purgator-‘

‘Perkatory.’

‘Yeah. That’s really clever. Like perk as in coffee. Did, uh, did you get the idea from Friends?’ Chuck asked as many had done before him.

And every time, Castiel debated with himself over if he should just say yes and walk away.

But he was proud that he named the place.

‘No. It’s a bastardisation of the word, and the supposed place, Purgatory; the limbo space or the level above the first of Hell.’

Chuck nodded a little to himself, his eyebrows near his hairline as he sipped at his beer. ‘Wow. I’m guessing you do theology?’

Castiel nodded.

At was here that Castiel noted the barman had returned with his ordered bottles. He took them.

‘Nice to meet you,’ he said curtly.

Chuck looked like he wanted to say something but just shook his head and smiled. ‘You too.’

Balthazar was not impressed when Castiel returned to their table. And it wasn’t just because he had gotten beer.

‘What was that? Did you even give him a chance? Castiel Novak, I am disappointed in you. Bring that nice young man over at once. Or at the very least get his number.’

‘Balthazar, I don’t want sex. I just want to get slightly drunk and then to sleep and then feel like I’m living a little more than just moving between coffee house and study.’

Balthazar nursed his beer a little begrudgingly.

‘Fine. But in a months’ time when you start whinging about being sad and alone, don’t come to me for help because I’m just going to say something that rhymes with “Thai bold chew toe”.’

Castiel rolled his eyes and knocked back a gulp of beer. ‘Whatever you say.’

…

There was a reason Castiel didn’t get drunk.

His head was being simultaneously squished in a vice and being thwacked with a hammer and his tongue felt like your hand does when you sleep on it, fat and painful and dry and dead.

Not to mention his breath stank and he had enough self-respect to breathe through his nose. At least that way his brain didn’t throb so much.

It was already it terrible and he hadn’t opened his eyes yet.

There was a knock on the door (which to poor Castiel, sounded more like a gun being fired). He groaned into his pillow and screwed his eyes shut even though they were face down.

‘Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey,’ said a voice that was evil and cruel and from what Castiel could recall, kept buying drinks which Castiel then drank and the vicious cycle continued.

‘Fuck off.’

‘Cassy darling, I made you food.’

‘I hate you, go away.’

Castiel’s mattress dipped as Balthazar, whom Castiel would be calling traitor for a while and he just now had to decide if it was going to be just in his head or to the bastard’s face, sat down.

A light hand patted the small of his back.

‘Now, now, you don’t hate me. Despise a little, maybe, but you don’t hate me.’

‘I do hate you,’ Castiel insisted. ‘I really, really do.’

‘Duly noted.’

‘Which means not at all.’

Balthazar made a non-committal noise. ‘I made breakfast so the faster you empty your stomach, the quicker we can fill it.’

‘I don’t need to throw up,’ Castiel said. And of course, Murphy was a dick, so thus was his law, his throat clenched and his gut curled.

Somehow in the next ten seconds, he magically appeared in the bathroom and then started to heave what felt like all of his internal organs out his mouth.

When Castiel looked up, mouth tasting of bile and his teeth fuzzy, Balthazar was leaning on the door frame.

‘You done?’

‘How the fuck do you not end up like this every morning?’

‘By this point, alcohol is more like a vitamin.’

Castiel rubbed at his eyes and flushed away his stomach contents. ‘Good to know. Where is this breakfast?’

There were eggs and bacon and coffee and Castiel threw it all down hot, burning what felt like all of his taste buds. Soon enough he felt vaguely human again.

‘Cassy,’ Balthazar started, loading dishes into the washer. ‘Can I ask you a question?’

Castiel shrugged and nodded at the same time.

Balthazar sat down opposite. ‘Who’s Dean?’

That woke Castiel up better than the coffee in front of him.

‘What?’

‘Who’s Dean Winchester?’

And Castiel knew then that Balthazar already knew from the grin on his face.

Castiel shrugged. ‘He comes into the shop sometimes. I don’t know that much about him.’

Lies. Henious lies.

Castiel knew that Dean was doing an engineering degree with a philosophy minor. That being said, he was considering an elective in Latin for whatever reason. Dean liked his coffee in their various forms extra hot with a little sugar.  When it got colder, he wore a leather jacket and instead of using a scarf, he popped his collar and looked like an idiot but it was adorable because his nose when pink and

‘Cassy, I know you have a crush on him. Not only have I seen it when you make his coffee but you told me last night, half sloshed that you think he is all these wonderful adjectives that I can’t be bothered remembering or relaying back to your now sober self.’

Castiel sighed. ‘Then why ask?’

Balthazar shrugged. ‘No idea. Just thought I’d bring it up. And that you should ask him out for a drink and stop pining.’

‘I’m not pining,’ Castiel insisted.

‘You are. All you need to make it even more obvious is to start writing his name in the margin of your lecture notes.’

‘Don’t you have a class to be at?’ Castiel asked, perhaps a little more venomous than intended. He got up, put his mug in the sink and headed back toward his room.

‘Please tell me you are going back to bed to sleep off your headache and hopefully your self-loathing?,’ Balthazar called, peering in to see Castiel jumping into a pair of trousers.

‘No. I’m getting ready to serve coffee. There’s no one at there so I need to be.’

Balthazar stepped in and shut the wardrobe behind him and gathered all the stray clothes and dumped them into a now overflowing hamper.

‘Castiel Novak, I forbid you from working today,’ he said, shoving lightly at Castiel’s shoulders, ‘you will sleep and only go to classes after one in the afternoon.’

‘Balthazar-‘

‘No. I’ll find someone to fill in for the day until Anna gets back from her psych tutorial. Then you can have the graveyard and you can ask your imaginary boyfriend out and make him your real boyfriend. In the meantime love, sleep.’

 And as much as Castiel wanted to continue to protest, he was exhausted and dehydrated and so next useless at making coffee.

‘Fine,’ he grumbled, climbing into bed and pillow one of his many pillows over his head. He considered chucking one at his so called friend.

‘You’ll thank me later,’ Balthazar said, closing the door with a click.

‘Fuck off,’ Castiel said again, even though knew that Balthazar couldn’t hear him.

…

It was nearly 3 PM before Castiel crawled out of bed and ate a mountain of food and drank close to an entire pot of coffee.

Anna rolled in at 5.

‘How long has it been since you last got smashed like that, Cas?’

‘Hello to you too, Anna. It’s been too long.’

Anna flicked him.

Castiel gripped his shoulder. ‘Oh ow. I am mortally wounded.’ He fainted in his chair.

Anna rolled her eyes. ‘Balthy told you you’re taking the graveyard, yeah?’

‘He mentioned it.’

Anna opened the fridge and started rooting through it. ‘Well you better shift your ass off now so you don’t miss Hottie McWinchester.’

‘Is isn’t a Hottie Mc anything and _Dean_ doesn’t come in until late. I’ve got plenty of time.’

‘Still means you wanna see him, Cas,’ Anna smirked before cracking open a bottle of ice tea she found in the back.

‘I like his company. Makes the place feel less empty.’

Anna snorted. ‘He would make you feel less empty,’ she laughed and only just evaded Castiel swiping at her.

‘Miss me, miss me,’ she called, running away to her room.

Castiel rolled his eyes and looked for his jacket. It was cold out.

…

It was warm inside Perkatory and Castiel shredded his coat walking in.

He stamped his card a little dazed but not dazed enough to not see the newer fourth card.

Castiel looked at it a little annoyed.

If he had insisted on working, that wouldn’t be there, he thought.

The name _Benny_ was written in cursive chicken scratch.

He shook his head and went out to the counter, glanced at the cookie jar. Cas rolled up his sleeves: he was going to refill it.

…

Dean didn’t come in until 2 AM and Castiel was buzzing. He’d been drinking more coffee than the people coming in. At least there were fresh cookies now. Maple and salted caramel.

‘Hey Cas,’ Dean said, coming in and shaking a little, ‘Cold out.’

‘Indeed,’ he says, starting to make the triple red eye Dean doesn’t need to ask for any more.

‘You weren’t in this morning.’

Castiel’s hands stopped making coffee. He swallows. ‘I had a rough night.’

Dean grinned and Castiel melted a little on the inside. ‘You got drunk, huh?’

Castiel nods a little awkwardly. ‘Yeah.’

‘Yeah, well this guy, Benny or something filled in and he’s almost as good as you,’ Dean complimented and he didn’t like that Dean liked Benny’s coffee almost as much as he loved Castiel’s.

He didn’t like Benny at all, which was odd for Castiel because often he made assumptions about people after he’d met them. This was different though.

He passed over Dean’s coffee in a cup and saucer this time.It was petty, but at least he couldn’t run away.

Dean looked a little oddly at it, but in the end smiled. ‘Cheers, Cas. I’d be asleep without ya.’

Castiel stomped down on the little voice in his head saying he wanted to be keeping Dean up another way.

…

Benny was from New Orleans. Spoke with a detectable francophone sounding drawl. Scruffy face. Pale blue eyes.

Castiel didn’t like him any more than before.

Turned out he was studying medicine and after finishing at KU wanted to move to a proper medical school and focus on haematology, which in Castiel’s opinion was a little creepy but if at some time he was diagnosed with some kind of blood disorder, he would happy that haematologists existed.

But today was not that day.

Balthazar and Anna wouldn’t stop saying how great it would be to have the four of them working together so they wouldn’t need to stress if at least one of them was free.

Castiel still didn’t like it but it was decided, and he had to agree with his so-called friends that Benny would take whatever shifts that were outstanding so all of them had four a week.

Problem was he had a few graveyards and Castiel wanted to be only gravedigger.

Of course Benny didn’t budge and in compromise, they worked together.

It was always awkward when Dean walked in at some godforsaken hour because he seemed to have two modes; one for dealing with Castiel and another for everyone else, or at the very least Benny and his brother.

Castiel wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'm working on the second half as we speak so it should be up reasonably soonish" i wrote 3 years ago...
> 
> ha


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I am so sorry I am a terrible person; I started this thing 9 months ago and I have only just bloody finished it and I am so sorry to keep you all on your toes. I hadn't abandoned this fic, it's just life got in the way. But there is good news; with my summer holidays coming up (I live in Australia) I will be working on the Prince and the Tree again, hopefully to completion along with some festive stuff and a possible sastiel!au if time permits.
> 
> Thank you so much for putting up with my casual 9 month hiatus of this two part fic and I know that sounds pretentious and I am so sorry."  
> so i wrote that nearly 2 years ago and im awful at keeping promises or sticking to deadlines. i present to you the other 5k of this _thing ___without interuption. i promise i will explain myself at the very end.

…

After about a month of Benny working alongside Castiel most nights, unbeknownst to Castiel, Benny and Dean had developed a handshake.

It was a complex fist bump then a shoulder knock and all these other things they were able to complete over the counter before Benny passed Dean his coffee.

On one occasion, when Dean returned some half an hour later and asked for a muffin to go, Castiel put his hand up for a high five. Dean smiled a little crooked and confused but he gave it and wandered out of Perkatory with an odd look on his face. Of course Benny had seen the fiasco.

‘Smooth, Novak,’ Benny mentioned, putting down a 7 on his clubs pile, when Castiel came through to the back.

‘Shut up,’ Castiel grumbled.

…

Over the next few weeks, the handshakes evolved, between both Benny and Dean, in their complexity, and Castiel and Dean, in that Dean started putting up his hand for a high five after taking his cup or Castiel bringing it to the table he was either a) frantically studying at or b) playing Tetris on his laptop until Castiel gave him a look, and Dean opened up the Wikipedia tab of whatever he was meant to be studying.

Castiel liked that Dean did this although he wasn’t certain if it was because he actually wanted to or if he was just doing it because Castiel had and so he thought he needed to.

It was a Thursday, a few minutes each way near midnight, Castiel wasn’t sure which, and it was just him. Benny had a paper due the next day on the nature of blood cancers or something; Castiel couldn’t remember and wasn’t bothered about not remembering.

The fact was he had Perkatory to himself.

He put on a little music and danced his way around the kitchen, cleaning up and packing away and then there was the bell.

‘Didn’t know you were a Blue Oyster guy, Benny?’ said Dean’s voice and Castiel didn’t know what to make of the expression on the Winchester’s face when he emerged from the kitchen. ‘Right, sorry Cas. It’s just usually you’re back there and Benny’s out here and-‘

‘I know. It’s fine,’ Castiel made about starting Dean his coffee but he looked a little uneasy.

‘Um, Cas, I’m kinda going off the caffeine.’

Castiel stopped the machine.

‘Pardon?’

‘Well Benny was saying how it isn’t good for someone to drink so much caffeine, especially in one go,’ Dean explained.

While Castiel didn’t mind Dean being a little more conscious of his health, the fact he was doing it because Benny said bothered him. He’d chided Dean about having a triple red eye at night for nearly the entire time they had known each other. And he’d never listened to him. But he did listen to Benny.

Castiel tried not to let it show while Dean was here; he could make a batch of catharsis cookies when he left.

‘So what were you after?’

‘Mocha?’

Castiel chuckled. ‘Didn’t know you had a sweet tooth, Dean,’ he said, turning around and looking for the cocoa powder and the whipped cream.

‘Neither did I.’

Castiel heard the silent ‘until Benny showed me’ and pressed the buttons on the coffee maker a little harder than perfectly necessary.

…

The next time Dean came in, Castiel had music on again.

‘Cas?’

‘Yeah?’

Dean laughed. ‘You are surprising me more and more you know,’ he said, his foot tapping to Bad Moon Rising.

Castiel wasn’t sure if what Dean meant was good or bad but it sounded like a good thing so he smiled.

‘You know, Benny was saying you guys were gonna think about putting in a stage. Make this place more underground.’

Castiel gritted his teeth at the mention of his co-worker. But Dean was correct; Benny had mentioned installing a stage or at least a raised platform so Perkatory could become KU’s new cultural venue.

Castiel didn’t mind the idea itself. It would take some of the crowd away from Lucifer’s and Castiel didn’t like Lucifer’s but then again it was Balthazar that kept buying him drinks and had insisted he stay home and selected Benny to replace him. Castiel had to go along with the suggestion because he had no reasonable grounds to base an objection on and Anna would go all lawyer on his ass.

‘Yeah,’ Castiel nodded. ‘We’re thinking of just getting some shipping pallets and nailing them down. Benny’s got some friends somewhere who can spare us a few. My weekend is going to be fun,’ he rolled his eyes.

Dean took the cup Castiel slid over. ‘I could come in if you wanted. Help around a bit. I mean if you guys need me, ‘cause there are four of you but-‘

‘Yes,’ Castiel blurted. ‘That would be great. Anna will just eat and Balthazar will complain about some imaginary injury so please, do come.’

Dean nodded. ‘See you later, Cas.’

…

When Saturday rolled around and Dean turned up in some cruelly tight shirt and both Anna and Balthazar refused to help. They were “cleaning the kitchen” instead, which really meant gossiping and staring at Dean whenever his back was turned.

‘I can see why you like him, Cassy,’ Anna said, tapping him on the shoulder when Castiel was hammering the slats on one of the pallets down.

Dean was standing, his arms where above his head and his stupid shirt was exposing his belly, or rather lack of it, and the faint line of hair that dipped under his boxers and his face screwed up as he stretched.

Castiel dropped the pallet with a clatter and made a conscious effort to look out the window and not at Dean, his face starting to burn.

‘I hate you,’ Castiel hissed at Anna. Benny just chuckled quietly before going back to fastening his own pallet to the wall.

…

Enough was enough.

Castiel was able to take the handshakes and the different coffee and the stage but this was too much.

He was taking blueberry muffins out of the oven when Castiel heard Dean’s voice out at the counter.

Of course Benny had somehow gotten on top of his studies so he was there at the counter, fixing Dean his new decaf with caramel syrup. It seemed Benny had no qualms about sugar, like that wasn’t unhealthy at all.

But it wasn’t that.

It was Dean inviting Benny out for a drink. Just like they had done after the “stage” was finished. Castiel nearly burnt his fingers.

‘Sure, Dean. Lemme just ask if Cas can run the place tonight. He does most of the time anyways.’

Castiel buried the desire to throw a searing hot baked-good in Benny’s face when he came around the corner.

…

Balthazar sat next to Castiel on the couch, a cup of tea in one hand and a bowl of froot loops in the other. He offered the cereal to Castiel.

Castiel took it because it was there and Balthazar knew it was his favourite because Gabriel always used to have it when they were kids and fucking hell he was being sentimental about cereal.

‘Light of my life, why do you sulk so?’

Castiel chewed on his breakfast for a few minutes, like he would on Benny’s neck. Or Dean’s for that matter but more in the sexy way rather than the ‘I want to rip you apart, limb from limb’ way.

‘I don’t like Benny,’ he said.

Balthazar raised an eyebrow. ‘Why?’

‘Because he’s better friends with Dean that me.’

Balthazar fought down a smile. ‘Castiel, I want you to actually think for a minute and not let your little school girl crush cloud your brain; were you and Dean friends before Benny came along?’

Castiel went quiet.

‘No. We weren’t.’

‘Right. So what does Benny do with Dean that you wanna do with Dean. Spesifically, in a friend way, please, because I’m not awake enough to hear the inevitably kinky fantasies you hav-’

Castiel’s face went hot and swatted Balthazar. His tea sloshed dangerously.

‘They go out for drinks and they laugh and,’ Castiel paused. ‘I’m being an idiot aren’t I?’

Balthazar considered this. ‘A little bit.’

‘Can’t I just ask Dean for drinks sometime? Easy? Right? I can do that?’

Balthazar shrugged. ‘I assume so.’

…

Castiel was making peach apricot pastries when Dean next invited Benny for drinks, this time, with out Sam.

‘Gimme a sec,’ Benny had said and then appeared in the kitchen. ‘Cas, come with me.’

Castiel put down his piping bag.

‘Dean, I feel bad for Cas working. He can come yeah?’

Dean nodded. ‘Yeah. Be good to see what you’re like when you’re not making coffee or a stage.’

Castiel found himself smiling.

…

Castiel didn’t fuss much, but when he did it was doozy.

Anna stopped the man pacing n their tiny kitchen, putting her hands on Castiel’s shoulders.

‘Calm the fuck down, Jesus. You’re making me edgy just watching you. It’s not a date. It’s drinks with friends. Castiel, your brain will not explode tonight. You’ll be fine.’

Castiel nodded.

‘And take off the suit.’

…

Of course they went to Lucifer’s.

Benny bought the first round.

Dean smiled when Castiel took a pull of beer.

‘So Cas, you got any family?’ Benny asked.

Castiel nodded. ‘I have a few brothers.’

Benny raised his bottle in recognition. ‘Ah yeah, Gabriel right?’

Castiel nodded again.

‘But you said brothers,’ Dean pointed out, ‘plural.’

Castiel’s mouth screwed up a little. ‘I didn’t see many of my brothers very much. Mostly Gabriel since we shared the same mother.’

‘What’s he doing now since he left?’ Benny asked.

‘Candy shop,’ Castiel said simply and Dean’s eyes lit up like he was suddenly in Gabriel’s Sugar Shack.

When Gabriel had told his younger brother he was intent on dropping Perkatory onto Castiel’s and his annoying friend’s laps and was going opening a candy shot with such a name, Castiel hadn’t liked it. He thought that Gabriel wasn’t going to get anywhere in general and that the alliteration was basic.

Three months later, Castiel couldn’t have been more wrong.  More about the getting anywhere than the name, that was still terrible.

‘Cas, have I mentioned that I think you are a great friend and because we are such great friends you would be duty bound by our friendship that you take me there, right, Cas?’Dean said, without pausing for breath, and while Castiel knew candy was the key to most people’s hearts, he ignored Dean’s motive and revelled in the compliment and then considered Dean’s request.

‘I need to visit my brother tomorrow to buy syrup and a few other things. You would be welcome to join me,’ Castiel offered.

‘Bring me some red vines would you, Dean?’ Benny asked. ‘Also, Dean, shouldn’t you give Cassy your number so you can coordinate times and dates.’

Castiel flushed at the word ‘date’ and quietly hoped that he could be considered drunk enough to be red in the face.

Dean huffed a laugh, nodded and took a pull of beer before rummaging around in his pockets for what Castiel assumed to be a pen.

In minutes, Dean slid over a napkin and on it, a row of little blue numbers. Castiel tucked in his pocket before anything else could be said.

But the napkin was forgotten over the next little as while they complained about anything and everything; girls, professors, brothers, parents, the unfriendly neighbourhood douche wad that existed no matter where you lived, classes, work – Benny and Cas whining about Balthazar and Anna and Dean moaning about his father and his uncle who wasn’t actually his uncle, although his complaints were more John, less Bobby – and something else Castiel wasn’t really keeping track of because this was the sixth…seventh round?

Castiel obviously wasn’t keeping track of that either.

Dean was grinning when he clapped both Benny and Castiel on the back, pushing lightly to form a huddle, like he was to impart the secrets of the universe upon them.

‘Benny,’ he slurred, ‘Di’you knows Cassie here lis’ens to Blue Oyster? ‘Cos I didn’.’

Benny didn’t say anything; he just processed the information and nodded which turned into a shake half way.

‘Nope. Didn’ know that about Cas,’ he affirmed.

‘Do you play anything, Benny?’ Castiel asked, still sounding reasonably sober although it was all pretty colours and pretty Dean up in his head.

Benny nodded empathically. ‘Gui-tar.’

‘You should play for us. No. Not for us. Everyone! You’ve got the stage at Perk…perka…perka-thingy,’ Dean stuttered.

‘Tory,’ Castiel corrected, not staring at Dean’s mouth as he licked his lips.

‘Wha?’

‘It’s Perka-tory, not Perka-thingy.’

Dean laughed like he’d never heard a joke before and Benny a few seconds later got the joke and then Castiel started chuckling too along the way.

‘Hey!’ called someone very loudly. Luci behind the bar. ‘Do I need to call Sammy, Dean?’

Dean kept laughing and held up a thumb.

Lucifer rolled his eyes and went for the phone.

Sam walked in a few minutes later, looking distinctly tired with his brother’s shit and yet still let him lean on his shoulder on the way out, mumbling a song to himself.

When he saw the car that they were heading toward, he stroked the paint. ‘Pretty car,’ he whispered and Castiel smiled.

Benny got in shotgun while Sam dealt with Dean in the back, Castiel sliding in the back as well from the other side.

They were about half way to Benny’s apartment when Dean leaned over to Castiel, his breath utterly foul in his face, whispering, ‘Hey, Cas. Cas. Ca-as,’ he sang when Castiel still wouldn’t look at him because he was really close and really close meant maybe kissing even though Dean’s breath could have out reeked a dragon.

‘Hey Cas, come on stop ignoring me I’m heeeere.’

‘What is it, Dean?’ Castiel asked, finally turning and Dean was in his face, his eyes inches from Castiel’s and they really were green.

He leaned, lips right next to Castiel’s ear.

‘Perka-thingy,’ he said and fell in hysterics.

Castiel smiled because there was really nothing else to do.

Dean leaned his head on Castiel shoulder, still giggling to himself faintly, and grumbled when Castiel had to get out of the car.

Castiel thanked Sam for the ride and smiled all the way back to his dorm.

…

Castiel remembered again why he didn’t get drunk the next morning and he threw a pillow at Balthazar’s stupid smug, British face when he could work out which way was up and which of his pillows he liked the least.

…

‘I know I was very drunk when I said it,’ Dean started, eying one of the walls of candy Gabriel had on display in the sugar shack, ‘but are you going to do it?’

They’d only been in the store for 5 minutes after a half hour drive before that a 10 minute long text conversation organising times and meeting places.

Dean used a smiley face when he said see you soon and Castiel felt like an idiot for grinning about an emoticon and Balthazar stole his phone and they ran around the kitchenette island while Balthazar read out the texts with glee and then raised his eyebrows and Castiel stuck his tongue out like a five year old as he grabbed back his phone but he didn’t care because he was going to buy candy with the man above all others he really wanted to kiss.

Other stuff too but kissing was nice.

‘Are we talking about Perka-thingy’ Castiel asked, teasing, putting the bottles of chocolate, caramel and mint (new product assessment) syrup in his other arm, picking up a few bags of marshmallows from a shelf, ‘or something else?’

‘I have no idea what you are referring to,’ Dean protested. ‘Anyway, no. I mean Benny playing live. Maybe get some other people to play or get some poets or whatever. Cover the only step between this place being only just hipster and lock up the thriftstores, put a password on your wi-fi.’

Castiel had actually being thinking about it, mostly after Benny told Anna and Balthazar who had given Castiel a look after Benny had said Dean had suggested it.

‘We’ve been considering it, yeah. Probably this Friday or something. Could you hold these?’ Castiel asked, offering the syrup and eyeing the shelf of chocolate chips of varying milky-ness.

Dean nodded. ‘Sure.’ He then tried to balance his very large mixed bag of various candies with an entire box of Red Vines. He couldn’t very well considering. ‘Do you want me to tell anyone and everyone?’

‘If you would,’ Castiel said, taking three packets of each kind of chip and then waddling with the mass of bagged sugar to the counter where he dumped it and dinged the little bell.

His brother came out from a door with a lollipop in his mouth and Gabriel’s mouth grinned around the stick.

‘Cassy, what are you doing here?’

‘Standing you up,’ Castiel answered. ‘Put all the candy in a bag and don’t call the cops.’

Gabriel laughed. ‘How’s college, little brother?’ starting to ring up the syrup and bags of chips and marshmallows.

Castiel shrugged. ‘Hasn’t changed. Perkatory is doing fine. We installed a stage and we’re having an open mic night this Friday. I was wondering if you wanted to come along.’

Gabriel shook his head with a sigh. ‘You and Balthy and Anna have ruined the place but hey, whatever pays the bills.’

Castiel asked how much and Gabriel told him.

It was then Castiel realised that Dean’s hoard of sugar wasn’t part of the tally. He was also aware that Dean wasn’t next to him.

‘Dean?’

‘Coming!’ said a voice from behind a wall of diabetes.

Dean returned with a small load of bags.

Gabriel’s eyes rose. ‘Castiel I am ashamed of you.’ He moved to shake Dean’s hand. ‘Glad to know Cassy found someone.’

Dean looked at Castiel bewildered and then looked back at Gabriel, shaking his head. ‘I’m not his.’ That was wrong.  ‘He’s not mine,’ he corrected.  ‘We’re not together’ was what he ended on.

‘So what? Cassy isn’t good enough for you?

Castiel glared at his brother in a way that he hoped was seen as ‘I hate you. As in I want to rip out your throat and make you eat it.’ But seasoned with years of practise, Gabriel ignored him.

‘Um…Cas is really great at making coffee, he’s funny when he’s drunk, he’s nice, he’s smart and he brought me here. I guess I would date him.’ Dean said and Castiel really really wished both his brother and his stupid crush would shut the fuck up right now or for the floor to swallow him up or

‘Then why don’t you?’ Gabriel retorted.

‘Because he already asked me out and I said no,’ Castiel blurted in an attempt for that embarrassing conversation to go away.

Dean nodded. ‘That’s why.’

Gabriel looked at Castiel in a way that he read as ‘You’re a massive idiot and we are going to talk about this’.

‘Right. Well,’ Castiel gathered everything up after slapping down a few notes. ‘I’ve got cookies to make and Dean’s got a class to get to. See you Gabriel.’

‘I am so sorry about my brother,’ Castiel said, going out to Dean’s car, the same impala that picked them up the night before. ‘He does that. Cross lines.’

Dean shrugged. ‘I get where he was coming from.’

Castiel eyes narrowed. ‘Really?’

‘Big brother syndrome,’ Dean said, getting into the driver’s side, Castiel slipping in next to him, ‘a biological imperative that we all share, making sure our younger siblings get laid.’

Castiel huffed a laugh and then it went quiet for a bit as Dean pulled off the curb and put the impala into drive, heading back to KU.

‘Did you mean what you said?’

‘Hmm?’

‘Back at Gabriel’s. About me. All the things you said. Did you mean them?’ Castiel hated the fact he was talking in sentence fragments but that’s how his thoughts were running through his head, jarring and short. It felt like he was thinking in knives.

Dean’s face scrunched up and he swallowed. He ground his teeth and little and then narrowed his eyes on the road. ‘I just said what your brother wanted to hear. And thanks by the way for giving me an out.’

Castiel just stared out the passenger window. ‘You’re welcome.’

…

‘Castiel, what the actual bloody hell?’ Balthazar yelled, startling a few people crowded around a laptop, pointing at things and discussing.

‘Gabriel called you then,’ Castiel replied, not making eye contact with anyone and walking past Balthazar and into the kitchen, putting down the syrup and the bags.

He moved around the place, looking for the ingredients for muffins. Triple choc chip seemed appropriate.

Balthazar was glaring at him from the doorway.

Castiel shrugged. ‘What do you want me to say, Balthazar? It was a train wreck of a situation and there is no universe where it could have all been sunshine and rainbows and stop glaring at me.’

‘Castiel, you have just monumentally fucked any chance of there being a thing between you and Dean, are you aware of that?’

‘Yes!’ he insisted, measuring out the flour. Most of it went in the intended bowl. ‘Now go to the counter before I dump this bag on your head.’ Castiel flicked his floured hand in Balthazar’s general direction.

Balthazar rolled his eyes and walked back.

Castiel still knew as he cracked the eggs that he was going to be having talking to’s for possibly the rest of forever.

…

Castiel went to bed with his ear sore because Gabriel had lectured him over the phone for nearly two hours about what had happened, what should have happened and why Castiel was a dunce.

It was times like these that Castiel hated having family.

…

Benny found out on Wednesday and after laughing a little bit, let it go.

Mostly anyway, because whenever Castiel saw Benny looking at him, it was almost sympathetic.


	3. Chapter 3

Castiel didn’t want Friday to happen.

He didn’t want yet another reason to see why Benny was better than him or why he was an idiot or how Dean was stupidly attractive in anything and everything that he did.

He didn’t want to put up with his brother or his so called friends or other people in what, he felt, was his café.

Of course it wasn’t his café so Friday was going to happen.

They four of them spent Thursday evening evaluating new drinks they had each devised for the following evening’s mint syrup unveiling.

Castiel asked Balthazar that the next time he went home to England to bring back some of the cherry toothpaste he knew the English kept all to themselves because he never wanted to brush his teeth with regular toothpaste ever again.

…

He had to brush his teeth the next morning because it did stink of coffee and mint and of the pastries that Anna had brought along.

Balthazar just laughed at his sour face and Castiel ignored him. He left for theology when he found his right shoe.

…

In all the time that Castiel had been worked at Perkatory, the coffee house had never been busier; there were people at every table, the people walking in were asking for more chairs, all the cookies and muffins that he had baked that afternoon, not counting the ones that Anna and Balthazar and Benny and his fucking brother, who had turned up some three hours early, had been stealing whenever they had walked past. He was also certain that someone, he wasn’t sure who without a DNA test, had eaten about a quarter of the cookie dough before it had been cooked when he had taken a bathroom break, were gone.

He was considering making more food but that would take time and hipsters were even more pretentious and impatient and mostly rude than usual when they were hungry.

For the sake of not wanting to start a riot with moustache necklaces, scarves and thick rimmed glasses flying, Castiel sent a grumbling Balthazar out to buy pastries.

Castiel looked around for his stupid brother but he wasn’t anywhere but then he noticed shoulder length brown hair and another head of shoulder length brown hair and next to them was a head of longer than shoulder length blonde hair so he deduced that Gabriel was talking to Sam and Jess.

Anna stepped up onto the block of pallets, opened a little book, that Castiel saw her carry and scribble in sometimes, waited until everyone stopped chatting and started reading.

She spoke about safety and giving love away. She read a haiku about coffee and finished with a five line piece Castiel assumed was about the day they installed the stage, a hypothesis mostly based on the obscure reference to a stretching Dean and a blushing, pallet dropping Castiel.

Dean held the door open for Balthazar when he returned, white pastry box in hand.

The mob of people flocked to the box and tore it to pieces like hyenas with a zebra carcass but Balthazar winked at all of them, Dean included and herded them into the kitchen, carrying another box.

‘Never been in here,’ Dean commented, sitting himself up on the counter, legs swinging like a child.

Castiel immediately wanted to scold Dean, tell him that he wasn’t to sit on the counter because food got prepared there but then he remembered that Anna did it and this was Dean and Castiel wasn’t making cookies so he got all hyped up for nothing.

‘You may be wondering why I have gathered you here,’ Balthazar said in his most solemn voice but it was ruined by the corners of his mouth twitching, trying to curl into his resting face smirk.

‘I’d go with that,’ Anna said, crossing her arms. ‘What’s in the box?’

Balthazar sighed. ‘I had a whole speech planned out but if you want to ruin the mood so quickly Miss Ailes,’ he opened the box.

And it was stuffed to the top with doughnuts; either glazed or cinnamon and then they pulled the box apart over the next half an hour like they were also hyenas with a zebra carcass.

Castiel said this through a mouthful of doughnut and everyone laughed and Dean smiled at him and even with crumbs on his face and his lips shiny with glaze, Castiel thought Dean was the most beautiful thing to walk the Earth.

He had to hold himself back from kissing the doughnut off his face.

Benny looked at the clock on the wall; 10:28.

‘I’m on in two, friends,’ he said.

They all shuffled toward the shop front and there was a short line of people wanting coffee.

‘I’ll take it,’ Castiel said. ‘You watch.’

‘I’ll keep you company,’ Dean offered when the others had taken seats and Benny was off looking for his guitar.

Castiel got through the ten person line quickly and he kind of liked having Dean there because he didn’t have to leave the counter because he made the coffee and Dean did the cream embellishments.

They were done with them when Benny tapped on the mic. ‘Testing. One two three, un, deux, trois. Right. I’m Benny and I work here and I’m gonna play Falling in Love at the Coffee Shop because it’s a tacky song and I’m in a coffee shop and it’s dedicated to Dean and Cas because they’re both idiots.’

Castiel felt Gabriel staring at him and refused to look back at him.

Dean just stared between Benny (who started strumming and then started singing) and Cas who was just as confused and slightly embarrassed.

‘Do you have any clue what’s happening?’ Dean asked, he was a little flushed too.

‘No idea.’

They listened to Benny singing and felt awkward and Castiel knew that Benny was about a verse and a half off finishing when Dean turned to him.

‘I meant it,’ Dean blurted.

‘Meant what?’ Castiel was really very confused but even with his brain running slow on the smell of coffee and sweaty hipsters, he jumped ahead.

‘What I said to your brother, I wasn’t saying it to shut him up, I was-‘ Cas put a hand over Dean’s on the counter, his chest feelings like there were fireworks going off under his skin.

‘I get it.’ He swallowed. ‘Wanna go for a drink?’ Castiel asked, as Benny strummed his last chord and the group burst into applause.

Dean smiled. ‘As long as it isn’t coffee.’

‘What’s this? Don’t you like my little bro’s coffee anymore? Not good enough for you?’ Gabriel interjected, reaching over the counter to scab a cookie from the jar Cas hid under the counter.

Dean rolled his eyes and laced Castiel’s fingers with his. ‘Nah, his coffee is perfect.’ Dean pecked a kiss to the cheek of an unsuspecting Castiel. He blushed and smiled and Anna and Balthazar whistled and cheered and Castiel threw the finger up at them and Sam gave a thumbs up.

Castiel looked at Dean and smiled broader because there was a smile directed back at him.

He felt happy.

‘Oi!’

Everyone looked to the stage. Benny looked insulted ‘Where’s your manners, Castiel? Where’s my thank you?’

‘Cheers Benny,’ Dean called, wrapping an arm around Castiel’s waist. ‘Couldn’t have done it without’cha!’

‘Too damn right!’

…

Unlike the ungrateful patrons of Perkatory’s first open mic night, Dean stayed for clean up, fixing tables and sweeping up, despite Balthazar insisting he was welcome to take Cas back to their dorm and it was theirs for as long as they needed. Dean thanked him for the offer and Castiel having heard the exchange from the kitchen blushed into the dishwater.

‘Balthy and I are going to Luci’s, anyone else wanna come?’ Anna called from the door.

‘I will. Could use a drink. Beer’s good for the vocal chords, right?’ Benny replied with a chuckle.

Castiel drained the sink as Dean walked into the kitchen. ‘Hey.’ Castiel turned and smiled.

‘Hello Dean.’ Dean smiled and sat himself up on the counter. Castiel sighed, drying his hands on an errant tea towel. ‘I just wiped that down.’

‘Oops.’ Dean didn’t move. He reached out. ‘Apologies for not being very good at this but I’d like to kiss you know so if you would come a little closer, I would appreciate it.’

Castiel smiled and shuffled closer, Dean spreading his knees to make room. They held each other’s cheeks as they kissed.

There was a low whistle from the threshold separating counter from kitchen, Benny leaning against the wall. Castiel nearly jumped out of his skin. ‘Oh don’t stop on my account.’ He walked in, heading for the coat pegs. ‘Forgot my hat,’ he winked.

Dean laughed into Castiel’s shoulder before hoping off the counter, hand going to hold Cas’.

‘Wanna get that drink now?’

Castiel nodded.

‘Benny, wait up!’

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT [6/28/16]: hoo boy. so. 3 years. does anyone even care about this anymore? who knows. if you did, well kudos to you rather than me. i would have given up by this point so you're obviously more patient than i. if you actually care why this never got finished, basically i was in the middle of high school when i started this and as i slowly drifted from the fandom at the end of s8 i got wrapped up in other projects (see my other works for proof) but i did a re-watch of the road so far and yeah basically i still love this stupid trainwreck so i finally finished the bastard
> 
> tl;dr - life got in the way and spn stopped being important for a while. i rewatched spn and i still love. im on uni holidays rn so i can write.
> 
> if you liked it, tell your friends. if you didn't, tell me. (if you liked it please actually do tell me validate me and my ill-made choices. please)
> 
> x


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